Real Property

Real Estate Taxes
Real Property Tax Relief, Number of Homestead Exemptions
Granted, Average Reduction in Taxable Value and Total
Reduction in Taxes, by County, Tax Year 2002

Homestead exemption property tax reductions are granted to
qualified low-income homeowners who are at least 65 years of
age or permanently and totally disabled or to surviving
spouses at least 59 years of age if the deceased had
previously received the exemption. Qualified senior citizens
or disabled homeowners receive tax reductions based on their
total income, provided that the income does not exceed
$24,100. The reduction is equal to the gross millage property
tax rate multiplied by the reduction in taxable value shown
in the following schedule (Tax Year 2002):

Total Income of
Reduce Taxable Value

Owner and spouseby the Lesser
of

Under
$12,500
$5,100 or 75% of taxable value

$12,501 - 18,300
3,100 or 60% of taxable value

18,301 - 24,100
1,000 or 25% of taxable value

Over 24,100
-0-

Statewide, a total of 224,332 real property homestead
exemptions were granted in tax year 2002; the average
reduction in taxable value was $3,802; and the total
reduction in real property taxes was $65,589,798.

It should be noted that two Ohio counties did not submit data
for tax year 2002: Perry and Pickaway. Tax year 2000 data was
used for Perry County while tax year 2001 data was used for
Pickaway County.
In comparison to tax year 2001, the number of homestead
exemptions granted increased by 0.6%, the average reduction
in property value increased by 0.9% and the total reduction
in property taxes increased by 0.8%.

Cuyahoga County had the greatest number of homeowners
receiving this tax reduction, 33,331, and the largest total
reduction in taxes, $12.6 million. Paulding County had the
least number of homeowners receiving this tax reduction, 383,
while Holmes County had the least total reduction in taxes,
$84,129.

The figures in the first two columns of this table were
compiled through a survey of county auditors conducted by the
Ohio Department of Taxation. The data in the third column are
actual distribution records from the Revenue Accounting
Division of the Ohio Department of Taxation. This column
shows the reduction in real property taxes - actual amounts
reimbursed to each county for the homestead exemption,
including reimbursements for refunds issued by the county to
taxpayers that filed "late" applications for the tax year
2002 homestead exemption. Calculated administrative fees of
$1,311,796 paid to the county auditors are excluded from
Table HE-1.